196 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and we scarcely know which to pronounce the most i)leasing, but 

 whatever may be our feelings of admiration for these beautiful flowers, 

 a desire for something still more beautiful draws us to the rose and 

 compels us to pronounce it superior to all its rivals. It is the rose 

 alone that never fatigues, that always exhibits some new beauty, and 

 that is never afi'ected by fashion, for white Asters, Dahlias, Sunflowers, 

 and many other flowers have had their hour and favor, and have passed 

 out of notice, the rose, by reference to history, has been a favorite for 

 nearly four thousand years and is still the most beautiful flower of the 

 floral kingdom. The rose is distilled into oil and used as perfumery 

 by ladies of ancient as well as modern times, commonly known as attar 

 of rose. 



The rose has adorned the altars and entered into the most sacred 

 religious rites; societies of various kinds have used the rose as em- 

 blems of purity and beauty, and the fashions of to-day show what great 

 popularity the rose has attained. There is scarcely a wedding, a 

 funeral^ a ball, a concert or entertainment of any kind where flowers 

 are not used and the rose predominates above all other flowers, in order 

 to add richness and beauty to the design. As a flower used for bout- 

 tonier the rose has no equal, and for ladies' personal ornament other 

 flowers may be usedj but when richness is desired the attention is 

 turned to the rose. 



Varieties of roses mostly used for cut flowers at the present time 

 are Perle des Jardius, a rich golden yellow, which take the place of 

 Marshal Niel; ]S^ipheto8, large white; Sunset, saffron color, tinted 

 orange ; Catherine Mermet, delicate shade of pink ; La France, silvery 

 rose changing to pink; Bon Silene, deep rose color; Saffrano, saffron 

 and orange. Of newer varieties comes Bennett, dazzling crimson; 

 American Beauty, deep rosy carmine ; The Bride, creamy white flowers. 

 These roses are all teas, and may be classed as ever-blooming roses 

 and easily had in bloom the whole year. Another rose I must not pass 

 by without mentioning, is Gen. Jacqueminot, a hybrid perpetual of a 

 dazzling crimson color, greatly admired when in bloom, but owing to 

 its hybrid i)erpetual nature cannot be brought into bloom all the year 

 round. 



The above mentioned roses are grown in large quantities in this 

 country, and the cut flowers are bought and sold in the same manner 

 as produce and merchandise. The rose has another purpose, which is 

 to adorn our yards and gardens, public parks and cemeteries, and in 

 reality this last place is most concern to us all. Who would not wish 

 as a first choice a white rose to mark our last resting place and voice 



